Washing machine having air agitation



Jan. 2, 1.951

R. G. SCHAAF, JR

WASHING MACHINE HAVING AIR AGITATION Filed Nov. 15, 1946 INVENTOR.RUDOLPH G. SCHAAF JR ATTORNEYS flow apparatus does not interfere in anyway with the loading or unloading of the machine.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel washingmachine in which all apparatus within the tank of the washing machine isstationary.

The foregoing and many other objects of my invention will becomeapparent in the following description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through my novel washingmachine.

Figure 2 is a horizontal view partly in crosssection taken on line 2--2of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional enlargement of a portion ofFigure l.

Figure 4 s a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

. Re erring now to the figures, my novel washing machine comprises astationary tank In, having an open top H which is closed by the cover12. The top central'portion of the cover I2 is provided with a recess !3in the center of which is secured the handle i l by means of which thecover may be placed and removed.

The hand e it does not, as shown in Figure 1, completely fi l therecess. The nortion of the recess adiacent and somewhat below theoverhang oi the handle M is provided with a plurality of openin s it topermit the air which is introd ced into the washing mach ne body, foroperativ pur oses as ereinafter described, to esca e fina t o gh the topof the machine without dis -w ine t e cover.

The bott m wall 2 of the tank is provided with an o en n 2! t rou hwhich is led the air intake ri e 22. The o enin through which p pe 22passes. is ap ro r ately sealed to avoid any leaka e. n an s ita lemanner, as for instance by th askets 4. e d in ac by nuts 25 threaded onhe o -tside of the tube 22.

' Tube is o en at the upper end 2T. Top guide late 51 is secure over theo en end of t be 22 in s ch a manner as to permit an air flow out of theo en end 2'! of tube 22 while nevertheless the guide late 28 issupported by tube 22. Th s is accom lis ed by threading the upper end oftube 22 at 3!! and placing a sup orting nut 3| o t e threa s 3 as sho nin Figure 3, the nut 3| b ing provided with the dependent angular flan e32.

An annular sup ort 33 is secured to flange 32 of n t 3| in anv suitab emanner, as by a plurality of rivets 34, as shown. The annular support isbent over to form the supporting annular flan e 35. Plate 28 is securedto s pport ng annular flan e 35 above the opening 21 of tube 22 by aplurality of rivets 36, 3B.

Appropriate spacing bv the p ate 23. and the sup ortin flan e 35 isobtained by pro erly dimensioned bus in s 31, ii! on rivets 35. Thus,air may flow readily, as shown by the arrows in Figures 1 and 3, outthrough top 21 of tube 22 and then is guided by guide plate 28 throughthe annular passa e between plate 28 and the support ng flange 35. Theupper portion ii! of outer guide 4! is secured in any suitable manner toassure an air seal along the outer periphery of guide plate 28. Thelower portion 42 of guide 4! is secured at 43 to the bottom 2i; of tankin, and is also braced by the annular securement flange 44 a ainst thetube 22; I

The lower portion 22 of guide Al is extended up to telescope withrespect to upper portion 40.

(iii

This telescoping arrangement produces the upwardly directed annularpassage 46. Air, which is blown by fan 5d, operated by motor 5|, upthrough the tube 22, is thus directed by guide plate 28 downwardlywithin the guide member 40.

The air, under pressure, now flows out through annular opening &8 at thebottom of guide 49 and then flows up through passage 45 into the tank.The air must be of at least sufiicient pressure to overcome thepressureof the head of water between upper water level 50 and the lower end ofpassage :58. With the air at such pressure or higher, then there issufiicient force to force air out through the lower end of passage 48;the air will then rise through the annular passage 36 and up through thewater in the tank.

The air bubbles, rising from passage 33 from about thecenter of thetank, are guided outward- 1y by the concavity of the guide element iii,which converts the buoyant vertical lift of the air flow into ahorizontal radially outward mot on necessary to faci itate circulatorymotion of the load of wash. This circulatory motion is enhanced by theconcavity of the lower guide section 42.

Thus, by air means alone and no moving parts within the tank, the wateris forced to circulate w th the clothing in the direction indicated bythe arrows Hi, the clothing being slowed down by corrugations E2. Theguide sections at and 42 of the guide 4! not only serve to ensure acirculatory motion of the water, but the corrugations l2. 12 on theseguides provide a wash-board efiect wherein the wasl'uwhich may tend toacouire t e movement of the water. is slowed do n so that the water maycirc late through the nterstices of the wash and clean the same. This isin addition to t e wash-board or rubbing and flexing effect obtained.

By the fore oing means, therefore, I have avoided all moving partswithin my washing machine body. No complex oscillatory mo ements arerequired, as all moving mechanical parts within the wash ng machine bodyare avoided. The only moving part nee ed at all is a fan or othercompressor outside the tub and a motor for operating it.

The air intake and exhaust do not interfere in any way with handling.loading or unloading the machine. The circulatory action is obtained.not by continuous and vigorous spanking by paddles which may causedamage and excessive wear to the clothes. and rnav even knot the clothesup, but by gentle air bubbles which may be at sumcient pressure to causeappropriate circulation of the water with respect to the wash.

While I have described my invention with respect to washing machines, itwill obvious that it is adapted to other types of apparatus such as drycleaning machines, dyeing apparatus and other types of machines wherecirculation of a fluid with respect to cloth or other solid or wovenmaterial is desired.

In the foregoing, I have described my invention solely in connectionwith an illustrative embodiment thereof. Since many variations andmodifications of my invention will now be obvious to those skilled inthe art, I prefer to be bound, not by the specific disclosures hereincontained, but only by the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with asource of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of saidconoentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first men tioned vertical tube; saidconcentric tube comprising means for guiding the air as it rises afterintroduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion ofthe water.

2. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and Wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with a source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means forguiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water toproduce a circulatory motion of the water; said last mentioned meanscomprising the format on of said concentric tube so that its lowerdiameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively largeand. so that the sides of the tube are concave.

3. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center ofsaidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means forguiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water toproduce a circulatory motion of the Water; said last mentioned meanscomprising the formation of said concentric tube so that its lowerdiameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large andso that the sides of the tube are concave; and an additional guidesurrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising anadditional concentric member of relatively large diameter at the bottomof the vat and substantially small diameter at the point of exit of airfrom the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide beingconcave.

4. A Washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means forguiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water toproduce a circulatory motion of the water; said last mentioned meanscomprising the 'for mation of said concentric tube so that its lowerdiameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively largeandso that the sides of the tube are concave; an additional guidesurrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising anadditional concentric member of relatively large diameter at the bottomof the vat and substantially small diameter at the point of exit of airfrom the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide beingconcave; said last mentioned guide extending above and outside of thelower end of said first concentric tube and being spaced therefrom toform an upwardly directed air exit passage.

5. A Washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upperend' thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means forguiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water toproduce a circulatory motion of the water; said last mentioned meanscomprising the formation of said concentric tube so that its lowerdiameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large andso that the sides of the tube are concave; and an additional guidesurrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising anadditional concentric member of relatively large diameter at the bot tomof the vat and substantially small diameter atthe point of exit of airfrom the first concentric tube, the sides of said additional guide beingconcave; said first mentioned concentric tube and said additional guidehaving undulating outer surfaces.

6. A washing machine comprising a vat for contain ng laundry to bewashed and wash Water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with the source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the Water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; means forguiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof into the water toproduce a circulatory motion. of the water; said last mentioned meanscomprisin the formation of sad concentric tube so that its lowerdiameter is relatively small and its upper diameter relatively large andso that the sides of the tube are concave; and additional guidesurrounding said vertical tube at the lower end thereof comprising anadditional concentric member of V relatively large diameter at thebottom of the vat and substantially small diameter at the point of exitof air from the first concentric tube, the sides of said additionalguide being concave; said first mentioned concentric tube and saidadditional guide having corrugated surfaces.

7. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and wash water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; said means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substant ally the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicatin through the bottom of the vat with a source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surrounding the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed. and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; saidconcentric tube comprising means for guiding the air as it rises afterintroduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion ofthe water; said concentric tube including concave elements in said vatconcentric with said vertical tube; said concave ele- V j mentsextending outwardly on a curve at the top being open and located belowthe level of the Water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; saidconcentric tube comprising means for guiding the air as it rises afterintroduction thereof into the water to produce a circulatory motion ofthe Water; said concentric tube including concave elements in said vatcon- 8. centric with said vertical tube; said concave elements extendingoutwardly on a curve at the top and bottom of said vat; the surfaces ofsaid guide means being transversely undulated.

9. A washing machine comprising a vat for containing laundry to bewashed and wash Water; means for introducing air into said vat at apoint below the upper level of the water; sa d means comprising asubstantially vertical tube located at substantially the center of saidvat; the upper end of said tube being open and the lower endcommunicating through the bottom of the vat with a source of air underpressure; a substantially concentric tube surround ng the first verticaltube; the lower end of said concentric tube being open and located belowthe level of the water; the upper end thereof being closed and spacedabove the upper end of the first mentioned vertical tube; saidconcentric tube comprising:

means for guiding the air as it rises after introduction thereof intothe water to produce a circulatory motion of the water; said concentrictube including concave elements in said vat concentric with sa dvertical tube; said concave elements extending outwardly on a curve atthe top and bottom of said vat; the surfaces of said guide means beingcorrugated with substantially horizontal fiutes. RUDOLPH G. SCI-IAAF,Js.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

